How Equine Diseases Are Spread - 20 July 2007

Equine Biosecurity

How Equine Diseases Are Spread

One of the greatest disease threats to a horse is from another horse, whether through direct contract or through surfaces, equipment, vehicles or people contaminated by diseased animals.

Vaccination is important. Medication can be used once the horse or pony is seen to be sick. But neither can offer complete, effective and economical protection against the wide range of disease organisms that threaten horses. Biosecurity completes the triangle of protection - excluding disease organisms from the animals' environment. This is the only way to break the cycle of disease.

Biosecurity can only be achieved through regular and comprehensive routines, using products that are proven to be effective against viral, bacterial and fungal disease organisms.

Virkon S is the ultimate equine disinfectant independently proven to be effective against viral, bacterial and fungal organisms which can cause disease in horses.

How to Control the Spread of Equine Diseases

Stable Blocks & Horse Boxes

  • Remove all movable equipment (feeders, drinkers etc)
  • Remove all organic material (mud, soiled bedding and refuse) through scraping and brushing
  • Using either a pressure washer, knapsack sprayer or watering can disinfect all surfaces with VirkonŽ S solution (1:100 dilution rate)
  • Allow surfaces to dry before replenishing bedding and replacing equipment

Feeders Tack and other Equipment

  • Wash drinkers, feeders, tack and other equipment with VirkonŽ S solution (1:100 dilution rate) until visibly clean
  • Rinse with clean water and then allow to dry

Aerial Disinfection

Stable dust and airborne nasal discharges can transmit infection from horse to horse. VirkonŽ S can be used as an aerial disinfection spray to help control airborne disease causing organisms.

Using a knapsack sprayer or pressure washer, on a fine mist setting, spray VirkonŽ S solution (1:200 Dilution rate) into the stable on a daily basis. There is no need to remove the horses during aerial disinfection.

Topical Use

Washing your horse with Virkon S at a dilution rate 1:100 can help control the skin challenge of organisms that are responsible for Ringworm, Mud Fever and Strangles.

Use a clean sponge to apply the Virkon S solution, leave for 10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with clean water.

VirkonŽ S - Proven Efficacy Against Equine Pathogens

Causative Organism

Viral Disease

Reovirus (Orbivirus)
Equine Arteritis virus
Equine Herpes Virus (EHV1)
Equine Herpes Virus (EHV3)
Papova Virus
Retrovirus
Adenovirus
Orthomyxovirus

African Horse Sickness
Equine viral arteritis (EVA or pink eye)
Equine herpes abortion, respiratory and neurological disease
Coital exanthema
Equine papillomatosis
Equine infectious anaemia (Swamp Fever)
Adenovirus respiratory disease
Equine influenza

 

Bacterial Diseases

Clostridia sp.
Salmonella sp.
E.coli
Streptococcus equi
Taylorella equigenitalis (CEM)
Klebsiella pneumoniae & Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Dermatophilus congolensis
Various bacteria especially Dermatophilus
congolensis and Staphylococcus aureus

Clostridial diarrhoea
Salmonellosis
Enteric colibacillosis
Strangles
Contagious Equine Metritis
Other bacterial endometritis
Dermatophilosis (Rain Scald)
Mud Fever

 

Fungal Diseases

Trichophyton spp. Microsporum spp.

Ringworm (Dermatophytosis)

 

How to make a 1:100 solution of Antec Virkon S

Water

Virkon S

1 litre

10 grams

10 litres

100 grams

100 litres

1 kilogram

1 gallon (4.5 litres)

45 grams

 

How to make a 1:200 solution of Antec Virkon S

Water

Virkon S

1 litre

5 grams

10 litres

50 grams

100 litres

500 grams

1 gallon (4.5 litres)

22.5 grams

VirkonŽ S is available in:

  • VirkonŽ S 50g Sachets
    One 50g sachet of Virkon S makes 5 litres of disinfectant
  • VirkonŽ S 5Kg
    Makes 500 litres of disinfectant
  • VirkonŽ S 10Kg
    Makes 1000 litres of disinfectant

        

 



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